Blog & Recipes

This is the most delicious “simple” smoothie. It is refreshing, and if you use sweet ripe pears it is even better. This combination is great for a morning cleanse and afternoon refresher! Make enough to last a day or two. YUM!

Ingredients2 ripe pears ½ of a bunch of Italian parsley3 - 4 cups of water

Blend into a drink - add water as needed. Pour into a glass jar and keep refrigerated.

In Aging Beautifully - the Path to ‘Imi ola, I have been pondering on the kind of course I wanted to offer this spring. Should I teach nutrition, culinary instruction and diet? Weight loss? Spiritual growth? Mind Control? Lifestyle?

After a few days of meditation and inquiry it came to me to do a 40 Day Challenge for upgrading your self-care regimen. The focus: food, thinking and any other practice you want to put into your life that will enhance your self-care.

That is a tall order but there is not a person I know who knows better but does not do better in the areas of self-care. In addition, I am not so sure one diet fits all. The bottom line of every healthy diet is that they are all “whole food” based. Diet and food, and the response your body has in regards to it, varies with each person. The other bottom line is that junk food, processed foods, sugar and bad fats, and GMO foods are detrimental.

Can you find a few areas of self-care that you need to upgrade? I am sure you can. But before you start feeling bad or guilty, read the copy below about how a new practice for only 40 days can solidify or create a new habit that can be effective and lasting.

Then stay tuned for the announcement of my new course: Aging Beautifully - The 40 Day Challenge for a dietary upgrade. Let’s create some new habits to support our body, our life and our Path to ‘Imi Ola (the highest form of well-being).

The Technology of 40 days to Change the HabitsExcerpted from Faces Changes II by Dr. Kartar. Prosperity Paths Jan 2004 Iss

Thousands of years ago yogis became aware that it is possible to adjust one’s life through changing one’s habits. Actually this seems like a simple concept, however, for most people a difficult challenge. Habits are repetitive behaviors which form specific patterns in our reality. At the time that the pattern was first repeated, it seemed like a desirable action. However, as our awareness enfolded, these same desirable habits were now experienced as undesirable. Yogic technology offers specific practices to adjust undesirable habits, even those which are haunting us. There is a specific time commitment which is required to adjust the neurons and the frequencies of our brain. According to yogic technology it takes 40 days to change a habit – to retrain the mental process and nervous system. Practicing anything for at least 40 days allows you the opportunity to incorporate it into your being, turn on, wake up, transform!

Manifesting change requires patience and baby steps. Yoga and meditation help us to facilitate change because they can help us to penetrate the psyche to change our habit structure at a core level. If we don’t change the psyche then change won’t last, it is just that simple.

Formula for Success

Choose simple habits to change at first. Specifically target the habit you’re trying to change. Work hard for 40 days, and then begin to target the next habit you would like to change.

40 days to change or break a habit.

90 days to confirm a new habit.

120 days the new habit is who you are.

1000 days You have mastered the new habit.

This means that our brain does not accept ‘new’ data for a change of habit unless it is repeated each day for 40 days (without missing a day).

How would your life change? Can you imagine how differently you would think, feel and behave if you had a change of habit? You can’t put a price on it. Habits take time and consistency. So if you are taking the challenge remember all truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times; but to make them truly ours, we must think them over again honestly, till they take root in our personal experience and if you have not started then Today is as good as any.

It is my pleasure to offer you a complimentary 15-minute consultation to help you upgrade your self-care!

Interested? Contact me at Susan@ChefTeton.com and/or stay tuned for my course announcement coming up later this week. Space is limited!

SeasoningDepending on the flavor of the squash and potato you may not need any seasoning at all. But, in case you do want to bump up the flavors, try some of these:

Salt

Pepper

Cumin

Cayenne

Maybe a splash of curry and/or cinnamon. Sometimes, just one teaspoon of tamari can turn up the notch of the flavor without it tasting like tamari. Balsamic vinegar will do the same – just ½ tsp, and possibly 1 tsp if a large amount.

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop veggies and arrange them on a baking sheet. Leave the garlic cloves in their skin. Sprinkle a little olive oil on the chopped onion and the garlic.

Bake until all the ingredients until they are tender.

*Note: The garlic usually cooks much faster than the rest of the vegetables. So check it after about 20 minutes. When it is tender remove it from the oven and cook the remainder of the veggies.

‘Imi ola: the Hawaiian word that awakened me how to express the true meaning for Aging Beautifully. I am totally in love with this word.

If you are any kind of seeker in truth, growth and a beautiful life, you may love this word as much as I do. Actually, ‘Imi ola is a value. Taking this value on as a practice is to encourage fulfilling a destiny of achieving the highest form of life - well being. What a beautiful goal.

Many of us are just trying to get by, or some of us have big goals of making a good living, being healthy and living in supportive communities. Many need a purpose, something of value and meaning to drive us. What if our innermost primary goal was to take on the value of ‘Imi ola and seek the highest form of life and well being as our destiny? Would this be enough to satisfy us? Could our purpose be first and foremost to steward ourselves continually so that we could be a vessel of well being to ourselves, families, communities, and the world?

If we took on that value as a practice with our eyes on the prize, imagine how wonderful it would be to be living in an old body having achieved the highest form of life - well being. Doesn't this just give you the coolest vision?

It did for me. This is such a better vision than one with fear and loathing over getting old. I think I am going to call it “Aging Beautifully”. There is nothing more beautiful than an older person who is healthy with a twinkle in their eye. The Dali Lama is a good example as are many of the Centenarians. When we stand on a mountain top and view the Earth in all its majesty, “beautiful”, is the word that many say. A healthy Earth, and healthy humans are all beautiful. This is what we want to achieve.

In an effort to express how much this means to me, I created a video over a year ago that I want you to watch. I believe it will give you a new perspective on aging, and perhaps awaken in you a new vision for your life’s purpose. It did mine.

I am launching an upcoming course called: ‘Imi ola - The Path to Aging Beautifully. You will be hearing a lot more about it as I adopt this theme going forward and share everything I can think of that has helped me to and others I know to Age Beautifully.

Have a question? Need some help? I am happy to offer 15 minute free consultation. Please sign up here for an appointment. It is always helpful to me as well as I hope it is for you, so please do sign up.

Also, I am opening up a few spots for private coaching again. Stay tuned for my new course coming soon called “Aging Beautifully - a Lifestyle and Dietary Makeover” . This will be a 8 week course you will not want to miss.

One afternoon I was visiting a friend of mine that was an Ayurvedic doctor. We unexpectedly talked into the evening and found ourselves hungry. At the time I had been traveling and there was hardly anything to eat in the house. He assured me we would find something and luckily, we did.

First, we discovered some russet potatoes in the fridge. We quickly washed, cut them in big chunks (peels left on) and put them into a pot to steam. Next we discovered some olive oil and parsley. “Perfect”, he said. While the potatoes were cooking, he chopped the parsley. Soon, when the potatoes were soft, he threw them into a bowl and drizzled olive oil all over them. Then he asked if there was any honey in the cabinet. What? I thought. As much as I love honey, I could not imagine it on steamed potatoes. Yes, that is what he did next - pour a little honey on the potato mixture. It did not stop there. He picked a lemon from the fruit bowl, cut it in half and gave it a squeeze over the entire bowl, topped it with salt and served it.

He went on to explain that in the Ayurvedic tradition it is important to put as many of the tastes that are available to us in one meal. This is not only the best way to feel complete after a meal, but it aides in our digestion as well.

Let me tell you, these potatoes were delicious.

Satisfying a desire for something luscious, fatty, salty and sweet!

I don’t always eat them this way, but when I want something simple to completely satisfy me, something satiating and luscious, this meal goes a long way to create to create complete satisfaction. And, it has inspired me to add a squeeze of lemon on many meals that I would not have thought of otherwise. It does the same thing a scoop of cultured vegetables will do for a meal - like the pickle on the hamburger.

This recipe is great for guests or potlucks.

Try it for potlucks - so you can arouse everyone with something new. You will also be able to fill yourself up and not be tempted by some of the “other” foods you may not want.

II added cilantro instead of parsley in the picture above. I love cilantro so much I put it on everything.

When I discovered using fresh herbs on my everyday meals everything changed. A fresh herb, cooked or raw, can change a boring meal into something special.

Here is my special Rosemary Tofu Toast. Everyone I make this for thinks I am nuts when I pull raw tofu out of the fridge. Although I don't eat tofu a lot, every now and then I have to have this meal. Give it a try, and if you really don't like the idea of raw tofu, then use some raw goat cheese, avocado or just plain toast with the rosemary and olive oil.

Finely chop the rosemary and add it to the olive oil, and cook it for just a minute or so (it should sizzle, but don't let it burn).

Pop bread into the toaster.

When the toast is crispy, place about 1 tablespoon of the EVOO rosemary mixture on the toast.

Top with the tofu, and all the remaining EVOO rosemary mixture.

Salt and pepper and then top it off with chili flakes (a must).

PS. If you haven’t heard, my friend Kami McBride has an amazing herb book called The Herbal Kitchen and it has… drumroll…250 (Yes, two hundred and fifty) recipes that have inspired my herbal kitchen for sure. You can check it out here

My new life in 2019. How we (me and my three partners) use prayer to help us launch a much needed movement on Maui.

The new vision was birthed a couple of years ago, and it has turned into a full-time gig for me with a whole new commitment. I am going to share it with you because this is what I do.

As those of you who have read my story in “Eating As A Spiritual Practice” you know that I am what some call a “professional activist”. When I moved to Maui 13 years ago I began teaching raw food prep and cooking. Optimum health was my motive and my commitment - not just for me but for the all life as I knew it. Following my work with EarthSave International and my own organization, Spirit In Action, my consciousness had been brainwashed with critical knowledge about the food, agriculture practices and policies, Earth’s living systems, and the connection all this meant to our own bodies. Understanding that our food choices and systems were tied to most of the breakdown we are witnessing in our culture, from our personal health to climate change, I became a dedicated crusader for a better way. I am not boasting, nor am I saying my way is the right way. It is simply my way and there is no turning back.

So, here is a bit of the back story. A couple of years ago I would stay up late with my friend, Charlotte, who was an expert with climate change as we discussed how we might use the Central Valley of Maui to grow food for Maui and the other islands. You see, Hawaii imports 90% of their food and we are slightly vulnerable to the global climatic weather changes we are all witnessing. Three days without food delivery and we are dust - so to speak. I understood Charlotte’s passionate desire to capture the prime agricultural land on Maui, previously used for plantation style sugar cane farming. The Central Valley of Maui is known as the “bread basket of Hawaii”. It is about 35,000 contiguous acres of prime land perfect to solve the issue of our dependency on the Mainland and food sovereignty goals.

Sugarcane growing had come to a halt, the plantation days were over, and Alexander & Baldwin (A&B) (the land owners) were losing money. This beautiful land that had been tortured with Roundup and other pesticides now lay fallow.

One evening, at my last Birthday party, two more friends, Sandra and Kutira, joined us as we plotted to write Oprah a letter. Could she help? She is a large landowner on Maui, and she does have lots of bucks and power. We began meeting and discussing what we might ask her to do.

After just a few meetings we declared, “Who needs Oprah? Let’s pull the community together and see what we can accomplish.” No offense to Oprah, but we did not want it to become Oprah land, we wanted the land for grow local cultural foods to create Food Security for the local people. We knew this was the land to fulfill that need, and we knew this was the land to do it on.

And we wanted it.

We knew we could come up with a plan to revitalize the soil, increase the fertility and begin growing food for the Islands - a daunting task to say the least. But how? Where do we start?

Realizing that we needed expert help, and knowing we certainly could not establish trust with them on our own, we hired Steve Apfelbaum of Applied Ecological Services to come out and assess the land, create a preliminary design, and assist us to begin our negotiations with A&B.

Steve Apfelbaum is one of the leading ecologists in the world, and is probably one of the most likable people you will ever meet. With patience Steve addressed a lot of the local people. He told stories of places where the land and people witnessed similar destruction and then rehabilitation with new designs that met the people’s needs. They trusted him and began to trust us. This was and is a huge hurdle that is not over yet as we still get resistance. Many times we have put our names on the line and were faced with opposition because of our gender and culture difference of native Hawaiians. We can’t hide our passion and dedication and turn the other cheek because of where we were born. We are all stewards of the land and it is our collective kuleana (responsibility) to do what is pono (the right thing) and make a difference. If there is something we can do within our means, then we must. I grew up in Southern California where I witnessed destruction as well - what was once a valley laced with fruit orchards is now track housing, large big box stores and freeways.

Did we give up? Never did we even think of it. Never did we ask ourselves, “Should we do this?”

Here is a montage series of events that brought us to present day. An investor stepped up to support our efforts. We formed Aina First (www.AinaFirst.com), hired an attorney, a CFO, a CEO, a controller and Charlotte. Together with our co-founders (Kutira and Sandra) we formed our start-up company. Charlotte and her team of internationally known consultants and advisors began forming the farm and business plan. I was down with Shingles, but attended BOD meetings until I was well enough to go to work, which was in October.

We named our company “Aina First” because Aina means the land. The love of the land is at the core of the Hawaiian Culture and moving forward while valuing Her first is the foundation of our work. When we honor the land that feeds us then we honor all life, and we all win.

Together the four of us along with our management team stumbled through the dynamics of four women working together. We hit some big snags, political backlash, mis-understandings, and more. We would fall into the gutter of our lower selves but bounced back up once we found ourselves there. Prayer was our method for recovery. We started every meeting with a prayer of unity asking for divine guidance as we navigated through stormy and calm waters. When our ego and emotions brought about confusion, we would stop, circle up and drop into our hearts and ask for harmony, guidance and divine solutions. Unifying prayer is what kept us together, kept us on track, kept our egos in check, and provided the trust and leadership we needed.

Our biggest hurdle, and probably the reason we did not get to purchase the land, is that we did not get the kind of financing in place fast enough for this multi million dollar purchase. We were almost there and then the news came just around Christmas in 2018. The land was sold to Trinitas, an almond growing company in California. No!!!!!!!!!!!! We were devastated.

Of course, the press on Maui and around the Island went wild with news of the sale along with investigating journalism trying to identify this company. “Who are these guys?” The parent company, Trinitas or Pomona Farming, formed a new company called Mahi Pono, and began meeting with members of the community. This is something they would have to do if they wanted to be accepted on this beautiful island.

Now what?

It is time to meet with Mahi Pono and continue our community outreach. We are not giving up by any means. We set out to create local food production with regenerative farming. We have been told that Mahi Pono wants to grow coffee and citrus for export.

What? Use this amazing land for export, when we need food security desperately?

Our first outreach goal is to bring our hero, Steve Apfelbaum, the founder of AES back to Maui to provide an educational series for Mahi Pono, the County Council and the public. We have an opportunity here with the value of work Aina First and other community organizations have done thus far. Our team is tight. We are meeting constantly and pooling our resources. We are praying constantly for guidance. And we are showing up each day the best we can. Are we having fun? I think, Yes, in a weird sort of way, but we often wonder……..perhaps we should have called Oprah.

This recipe was inspired by Edible Hawaiian Islands Magazine - the winter edition.

When I saw this recipe I thought that Ramen might be a good thing to share with you. I have been buying this Lotus brand of Ramen for several months. Ramen is one of the most simple meals when you are not in the mood to cook much, and every now and then a gal needs noodles!

I keep mine in the freezer so that it stays fresh. Use whatever vegetables you might have on hand and whatever broth you might have. It is all good!

Instructions:

Boil the noodles for 4 minutes.

Strain and place the noodles into a bowl. Add warm broth, chopped veggies and whatever else your little heart desires.

In the picture I used some steamed spinach, left over pumpkin squash and chopped cabbage. Enjoy!

OK, I am going to brag - everyone says my chocolate chip cookies are the best. I have to believe it is because of the ingredients I use, which is specifically the unbleached spelt flour. They are delicious with the spelt but they are not gluten free, and some people must have gluten free. So, I set out to make a gluten free version following my same guidelines so that everyone can have this tasty treat. OMG! They are delicious, light and very flavorful and they are higher in protein because of the almond flour. Eat them as a snack or even for breakfast - and did I mention, they are so delicious!!!

Is it more fun to eat an apple while holding it, biting into it with ravished hunger? Or, is it more fun to eat an apple chopped up with other fruits? Well, for me it is a toss up. Sometimes it is just too much trouble to chop it up, yet when I do, I am so grateful. The reason is it feels so much more like a meal when I add other fruits, nuts, maybe some flax, chia or hemp seeds, a pinch of salt and squeeze of lemon. Yes!

I know this recipe may sound so easy, but I like to remind you that keeping your foods simple and putting an extra little prep into them will completely change the flavor dynamics. So grab the cutting board and a good knife and take that extra 5 minutes to throw what you have together. If you don’t like to chop get out the grater. It is an easy clean up and so worth the effort. This particular salad looks a little skant if you ask me. But, it was a quickie, and actually more filling than you might imagine. If you will note in the photo I added a date cut into tiny pieces.

Secrets to making them satiating, delicious and juicy:

Being Satiated: The secret to having a fruit salad become a substantial breakfast or afternoon snack that will leave you feeling “fed” is in the nuts and seeds. Flax, chia and hemp are all filling. I would have sprinkled more of them on top but then the picture would not look very good.

Delicious: The secret to extra spark of flavor is the light sprinkle of Celtic Sea Salt, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Juicy: The secret to making a fruit salad more juicy is in the grating. Grating an apple makes a sweet and juicy sauce for the salad.

Make extra and put it into a jar for an afternoon snack. It will become even more delicious over time.

If you interested in learning more about transformational dietary makeovers - I invite you to check out my course in making over your dietary life.

The Holidays are rapidly approaching so I’ve put together a list of a few (or 12) of my favorite things! These are products and recipes that I love! They help me get through the Holiday season by nourishing my body and my soul. Check them out as ideas for Holiday gifts for your loved ones or even yourself!

This recipe is not just for the holidays, it is delicious (and good for you) any time of the year!. Cranberries, purple cabbage, jalapeños, ginger and onions join together for a seriously sweet and spicy dish. This is very easy to make and you can learn all about it in my Cultured Veggies Course.

This is the recipe that started my cooking career! Ground Sesame Seeds and Barlean’s High Lignan Flax oil. OMG, you can’t believe how luscious this is. Learn how to make all your plant foods become luscious - the easy way.

This coconut oil is worth the effort and extra pennies. It helps to make the best tasting cookies, cakes, and coffee! I absolutely could not live without it! Learn how to make tasty treats with my raw cacao course.

The secret ingredient to the most decadent chocolate mousse and truffles. It is so sweet and yummy you could eat it by the spoonful. Try my Raw Cacao Course to learn how to make the most delicious treats.

I could not live without my VitaMix. Makes life in the kitchen fast and easy. This machine is so versatile and worth the expense as it will last a lifetime. You can make smoothies of all kinds, sauces and dressings, soups, creamy hot drinks, fruit sorbets, EVERYTHING. A bonus is that it is so easy to clean. Save money on raw foods and do it yourself with the VitaMix, the key to fast, healthy and affordable recipes.

This is a simple recipe that is perfect for when hunger comes out of no where. I like to always keep some sweet potatoes on hand and then make them extra delicious with my sesame tamari sauce. The sesame powder I add on top is that extra little crunch and a pop of protein. The best part is to make a larger batch and store the sesame powder in the fridge for later use. I love to add it on top of roasted veggies or even a fresh green salad.

To make the delicious sesame powder, I put white hulled sesame seeds in coffee grinder or blender and grind into a powder.

Next I cook vegetables of my choice. This sauce is excellent on Swiss chard, cooked beets and carrots, yams and sweet potatoes, and all other veggies.

First sprinkle sesame seeds evenly on top of cooked vegetables. Pour the oil as evenly as possible over the top of the vegetables followed by the tamari. Salt is best on the yams and sweet potatoes.

If you are using a leafy green such as chard, knead mixture into chard, slightly stirring sesame seeds, oil and tamari to form a sauce. And just like that you have a hearty lunch filled with good healthy fats!

Combine all ingredients into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer for about 10 minutes until cranberries are soft. Remove from heat and let cool before adding it to the cabbage (directions for mixture below).

You can use a sugar substitute if you like, however the sugar in this recipe will add a wonderful flavor, and when the entire batch is done, there will not be much sugar in each serving. Also, the sugars will be transformed into friendly bacteria! If you do not culture the recipe or give it time for the fermentation process, you could consider the mixture a wonderful relish salad that is very tasty and great to any meal.

Directions for Vegetables2 heads purple cabbage4-5 onions4 jalapenos (seeded)3 in piece of ginger (graded)Optional to add cilantroSalt to taste (season on the saltier side because it fades after fermentation process)

Preparing Your VegetablesWash the outer layers of the cabbage and set aside to use for the canopy of the vegetables. Rough chop the cabbage and process in a food processor until it is about the size of a relish (not too small though).

Peel onions and process as well. Remove the seeds from the jalapenos and process. Peel and grate the ginger or process.

Instructions For Fermentation Process

Combine all ingredients into one large bowl (glass or porcelain). Do not use stainless steel or plastic.

Cover the mixture with the outer layers of the cabbage leaves - covering every morsel of veggie. Make sure the sides of the bowl above the canopy line are clean of any food particles. The canopy acts as a protectant.

Then place a plate on top of the canopy, doing your best to find a plate the fits over most the canopy and mixture below.

Place something that can act as a weight on top of the plate. A rock works well (make sure it is clean - best to boil for 5 minutes if you are not sure), or a mason jar of water. The idea is to put some weight on the top of the plate so there is some pressure applied to the mixture below.

Cover the entire bowl with weight with a clean towel and place in a cool (preferably dark) place. If it is covered then it will be dark inside.

Let the mixture sit for at least 3-4 days, but no more than 7. It may start to bubble, which means it is fermenting, but just leave it alone. When it is time to harvest, remove all the materials on top of the mixture. Toss out the canopy cabbage leaves. Put mixture into jars and refrigerate. The jars will last in the fridge for months.

Take a jar to potlucks, or a friends for a holiday gift or just enjoy them on your own. Serve them with everything!!

It was 9:00PM and I was starving. I had just returned home from the neighbors. We cracked open a bottle of wine, nibbled on some crackers and olives, and never had a full dinner. When we parted way they gave me a few bananas from their tree. Now, there is no where on Earth that I know of that grows bananas like we do in Hawaii, yet any ripe organic bananas will do for this recipe. Yes, this is what I had for dinner, and it was delicious and satisfying. It would be too filling for a dessert if following a meal, so its best on its own. Oh, and by the way, this is a completely legal meal from the Medical Medium. I know, the wine was not. So, I made up for it with this late dinner. Here is how simple it is:

DirectionsPlace the coconut oil and in skillet and warm it to medium high heat. While it is warming, slice the bananas in half from top to bottom.When the oil is hot place one side of the bananas in it and cook. The coconut oil should sizzle but not smoke.

Let them cook for about 3 to 5 min on each side (They will not get the golden brown color on them until you drizzle the maple syrup on top).

Once they are cooked on both sides, drizzle some of the maple syrup on them and turn them over. Turn them a couple times until the maple syrup begins to cook (try not to let it burn or smoke).

When they have that golden brown look, remove them from the heat and gentle drizzle a pinch of salt on top.

Accompany the meal with a fresh raw piece of fruit, or top with a dairy free yogurt of your choice.

In continuing with my theme of STRESS and Living As A Spiritual Practice, I set out to write a blog post about movement. But then horrific shootings and the California fires, among other things happening in the world took over me. How can I write about such simple things like movement when grief, shock, trauma and mourning was living within me? Along with the recent election many people are sad, angry, afraid, and feeling helpless, yet others are happy and celebrating. On so many levels our emotional bodies must deal with all of this.

We must all be feeling a range of emotions that might have to be cast aside so we can get through our days, and this could quite possibly cause our bodies and souls stress we don’t even acknowledge. For this reason I am moved to share an experience that I had years ago that is helping me to deal with my wild range of emotions. First let me introduce to you Matthew Fox, the man that taught me this practice.

Matthew Fox is an American priest and theologian. Formerly a member of the Dominican Order within the Roman Catholic Church, he became a member of the Episcopal Church following his expulsion from the order in 1993. Fox was an early and influential exponent of a movement that came to be known as Creation Spirituality. (Wikipedia)

I read many of Matthew’s books years ago, and then studied with him at a conference in Mexico. It was there I experienced his “Cosmic Mass” of which the principles of the ritual have lived on in me.

Below is a paragraph from Matthew Fox’s website about the Cosmic Mass. There you can also learn more about the value of this ritual. For now, I am going to share my take away from the Mass and how I integrate the concepts of it into my life as often as possible.

Of course it is. If you deconstruct the Mass, taking it apart and looking for its constituent parts, you will find that the Mass follows the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality: The Via Positiva or celebration of existence (Thomas Aquinas says this is the first dimension to Worship: To say Thank You for Creation); the Via Negativa or sorrow for sins; the Via Creativa, the blessing of wine and bread as the food of the Cosmic Christ; and the Sending Off which is the Via Transformativa.

When I experienced the Mass we were in a very large conference room at a hotel in Acapulco. What follows is a brief description of my experience, best I can remember.

There were no chairs or tables in the room in this huge conference room. It was empty except for four large visual screens, one up in each corner of the room along with powerful speakers for the music. It was staged something like a rock concert. Mr. Fox gave a talk first to prepare us for the experience. Then the lights went down and we began. In the first stage of the Mass there was vibrant beautiful music of celebration. We all moved and danced wildly while we viewed a slide show in the four corners of the room. Beautiful pictures of life, children, and nature - all colorful beautiful visuals - took us over as we moved with inspiration, gratitude and celebration.

After about fifteen minutes of dancing and celebrating the music stopped and the screens became black and dark. Mr. Fox took a moment of tenderness to recite a short reading and soon the screens were replaced with visuals of destruction, pollution, starvation, war, and death. The room became silent.

People were now sitting on the floor as we made the transition from dancing in celebration to sitting in the dark as we were given a space to cry and mourn. As I recall the experience, I am moved emotionally as it was so very special to sit among a hundred people or so and face the truth of our existence, to mourn together and allow ourselves to feel what we were certainly feeling on some level but had not really allowed it to surface.

Once the mourning and grieving space had cleansed our hearts and souls, we took some time to give blessings and prayers of apology. Then the atmosphere was shifted back to celebration. Beautiful visuals of possibility, peace, union, community, birth, renewal and a beautiful Earth filled our hearts with hope and love. We danced wildly again with a renewed spirit. We were transformed and made stronger for what is and what lies ahead.

The Mass took about one hour. We emerged internally transformed and wet from our physical cleanse, like we had just come out of a hot yoga class. Everyone was bright eyed, loving and lighter. We had met our feelings head on. We cried for what is happening to our brothers and sisters, the animals and the Earth. We now possessed renewed strength from our bond and a cleansed soul to move on. I remember Matthew saying that people are starved for ritual that feels real and deep to them.

To put it simply, here are the stages of the Mass in my terms:

As a prayer we give thanks for this life, ignite the feeling of gratitude for who and what we are individually and together grateful for. It is a simple acknowledged heartfelt, “Thank you”.

Then we face the sorrow that we feel for the destruction, grief (ours and others), anger, hatred, and fear for what might lie ahead. We allow our vulnerability and tenderness to surface, and to grieve with sadness and compassion.

Lastly, we move from our grief and send off a prayer of blessings, and then more celebration for what we have, and the possibilities that lie ahead. We emerge cleansed and strengthened.

When I read the news about people going up in flames with their families and loved ones while trying to escape, I can’t help but hurt for them. I let myself really go there and feel how horrific this must be. The idea is to look at the destruction and horror right in the face, to feel it and allow yourself to honor the grief and move it through you. Honoring the grief is a way of honoring life, because we are honoring the absence of what has died. I bring this up because so many of us, myself included at times, acknowledge how bad some things are, or must be, and then brush it aside or stuff it. Then we get on with our day, while not really going to the heart of our feelings and allowing them to surface.

When I was sick and in so much pain a few months back, I cleansed a lifetime of stuffed emotions, I had no idea were there. This made me realize that I had not really faced and felt many things in my life that deserved to be faced and felt. Now, when so called “negative emotions” arrive, I try to create a space to let them take center stage. I let myself feel the hurt or the fear, and then cast a prayer and look toward the light of a new day. Keeping a daily journal is a great way to process emotions. Tapping is another. Sometimes when I take a walk I merely express myself out loud (yes, I go by myself). Several years ago my singing teacher told us to sing our emotions as loud as we could - even if we are crying. If we needed privacy, which I surely did, she instructed us to get in our car….alone! The idea was to sing emotionally what is true for us until it feels like it is over and/or is out of us. This is a very useful technique.

Meditation is effective to calm us and bring us back to center, but it does not always move the emotions that may need moving.

Since our world is offering us a lot to pray for, as well as a lot to celebrate, perhaps you can create your own ritual to process your emotions. It probably does not matter how you do it, the important thing to do is to make sure you pay attention to your feelings and emotions. Be with them fully and move them through to the other side.

Many medicate with alcohol, marijuana, opioids, sex, exercise, work or food...whatever. It is fun to change the channel of our consciousness sometimes, but let’s not let some of these recreational or habitual practices override what might be lurking deep inside of us. Otherwise they will surface someday, and most likely in a disease of some kind.

If you have a process that works for you, please share it. We are all learning how to live in this new and evolving world that none of us are prepared for. None of us have lived tomorrow yet, so let’s pay close attention to our feelings of today.

Happy ThanksGiving to all! I am so very grateful to have this space to share with you.

What I want to express here with this recipe is that it is NOT a recipe.

It is a plate of food.

Don’t have time to cook? Eating well can be simple. But it still takes thought, time in the kitchen and clean up. It is just the way it is unless you can find places to eat out that have high quality food. My biggest concern about getting food in restaurants is the “fats”. Most restaurants don’t use high quality fats, even if they have olive oil it is not usually a high quality. This takes me to a whole other subject but, for now, I hope this gives you some ideas for “assembling” food on a plate to make a meal.

The importance with this plate of food is the dulse (sea vegetables). It is a bit dark, but you will see the pile of dulse on the plate. I have been eating dulse this way for years, and the Medical Medium (add link) and many other doctors and nutritionists herald the value of sea veggies and kelp. But, I find that most people do not really eat it. So let me tell you more about dulse.

Dulse is one of the easiest foods to prepare in the buff. Of course you can add it to soups and other dishes, but it is perfect on it’s own whether you soak it or not. Because it lasts forever, is light and does not need refrigeration, it is great for back-packing, traveling or eve a snack at home. When it is dry, before you soak it, the leaves are chewy, salty and taste like seaweed. Nibbling on it dry is rather tasty, but make sure you rinse your mouth before you flash a big smile, because it stays in your teeth easily. Soaking it in a bowl of water takes just a minute or so to soften. No need to strain it, just reach in the water and gather it up, ring out the excel water and add it to your plate. So easy. Drink the salty water that remains if you like - it is full of minerals.

Once the dulce is soaked it taste rather bland. I like it after I drizzle a little olive oil on top, and perhaps a little more salt, pepper and/or cayenne. It is great with avocado as well.

Getting back to this plate of food. My other good friend it the grater. When you grate a carrot on the tiny grate like this one is, take notice how sweet it is. Adding sweetness to your plate of food, helps to make it complete.

You will note that there is a toasted tortilla here that makes this meal extra yummy. I love something crunchy with a salad or meal like this, don’t you? These tortillas are made from almond flour, tapioca flour, water, and sea salt. I cut them in half and pop them in the toaster for an immediate crunch. They are a bit pricey, but worth it if you don’t want to be eating corn or flour.

Below is a list of foods on the plate. It was finished off by drizzling olive oil and lemon over the entire plate. This is still one of my most favorite and I must say, fulfilling plates of food. Use your imagination and use what you have!

There are many reasons to eat well, we all know that. It is actually vital to a healthy existence, and we know that too. But, let’s just think about the stress we put on ourselves with regards to diet. I can think of several stresses food and diet put on us that don’t even involve taking a bite of food. This is what I want to speak to in this post, because choosing a path and sticking with it has alleviated so much stress from me. And, the best part is that I have had enormous pleasure in doing just that. Yes, it takes a little more time in the kitchen, but by being nourishing and delicious it creates a stress free feeling overall. Below is a little bit about the path I chose and some of the reasons why I don’t feel a bit stressed over my diet anymore.

Most of you know by now that I am a foodie and after all, I do call myself “Chef Teton”. My foodie path all started with my advocacy work (hyperlink to book) and then I ended up using all of that knowledge in the kitchen. For a good part of my life diet and nutrition partnered with agricultural practices and policies has been the passion behind my work. I tell you this because even with all of this dedication and study, it could be that I am as confused as you might be. There have been so many diets birthed in the last 20 years that one might wonder, what’s next? The Acorn Diet?

Adding to the challenge of choice, we have the task of feeding ourselves and our families with budgetary constraints and fresh food availability. Then mental beliefs, judgements and sometimes guilt are all thrown into the body along with every bite we take, or don’t take. The whole idea can be stressful, not to mention confusing. Out of sheer desperation at the onset of my mystery illness I had to pick and path and stick with it because honestly, I had lost my way. I was cutting corners and not nourishing myself with what my body needed for the demands I was placing on it. Additional stress was happening on various levels.

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I had been to the ER four times with these short episodes of my heart pounding, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Each time the episode would come on I would become terrified. I felt silly going to the ER again, so I would sit in a few minutes of fear based confusion until I had to make a decision to call a friend, an ambulance, or ride it out. The doctors had already ruled out any life threatening situations so what should I do? I did not have a clue how to heal or reverse the situation.

A friend recommended I read the Medical Medium (MM), by Anthony William. I had heard of him and his book, but never read it because I thought it was just another ‘slant’ on the same old stuff. Desperate for anything to help my “mystery illness” I purchased it on Audible and began to listen. I was blown away. I found the MM to shed an intriguing light on autoimmune diseases - not what I had at all expected, and I felt like he was speaking directly to me. He spoke about the symptoms of autoimmune diseases attacking so many people today, and the case studies that he shared resonated like nothing else. He blasted some of the current medical myths wide open and gave me confidence that all these problems were reversible. His message landed in my like truth. I believed him, and began to practice his dietary protocol and supplementation with grateful dedication.

The MM gave me clarity and hope. Anthony William is not a doctor, nor a nutritionist. He is a man who has been gifted with the voice of “spirit” who speaks to him. His story is actually quite fascinating. Could we call this “spirit” God, or a divine angel that has come to help us with an area of life we obviously need help with? Some may laugh at this, but the path he laid out made sense to me. Adrenal Fatigue and/or Chronic Fatigue were included in his chapters, which I intuited as my problem. I was in.

I began juicing daily, eating (and I must add enjoying) fruits, dates and a wide variety of vegetables and plant foods like never before. His protocol for healing is basically an abundance of fruit, vegetables, squash, potatoes, beans, coconut oil and/or olive oil, and animal foods (if desired) once a day. He stresses more of a low fat diet, no eggs, dairy or grains. Did I have some rice or a piece of toast now and then? Absolutely. It took me awhile to adjust, particularly with regards to fats, and I also included bone broth. His recommendation to lower animal food consumption was mostly due to the high fat content. This protocol was a big shift for me for the following reasons:

I had to lower my fat consumption. I was consuming a lot of butter, especially in my morning coffee and/or Yerba Mate. It might work for some, but not for me while healing. No more stimulants, and no more massive butter contributions, yet I still enjoyed a bit of butter here and there on veggies.

Nourishing myself became the focus. It was not about what I did not eat, it was about what I did eat.

The creativity was fun. I began to make wonderful fruit salads, and soups, which I had not enjoyed for a long time. I munched on dates, dried figs and nuts for a snack often throughout the day.

Enjoying fresh fruit was so liberating. I had adopted the belief somewhere in me that too much fruit was not that great because of the sugar content, which influences candida, parasites, and more. I so enjoy fruit now and the small little problems I had with my skin are gone.

At first it was an adjustment, but once in the groove of feeding/nourishing myself, it became easier, and I began to feel lighter and more clear headed.

There were no complex recipes to follow, which is what I advocate in my teaching. Rather, you prepare the food raw, or cooked and consume it as it is with just a few condiments as needed. There is really no need for a ton of ingredients to make a dish. The method of combining raw and cooked together is actually what started my cooking/teaching career. Keep it simple and fill up with plant foods.

As for the supplements he recommended, well, there were a lot of them. I took it slow in that department and integrated them over a bit of time.

The MM dietary and healing protocol was humming along nicely for me for a few weeks when the Shingles attacked me. For this I am very grateful because the MM also had an entire chapter on Shingles, so I was somewhat prepared with a path I felt would support me. I understood it would take some time. Even though I had fallen into the mindset of immediate healing or transformation, I could feel in my body that this would not go away with a couple of good nights sleep. I rested in knowing I was on a new journey that would require layers of space and change.

Why I recommend reading MM is not only for the food and diet but to understand and/or get a new perspective on autoimmune conditions, the fatigue and stress symptoms, and the potentially misleading information we are getting. I mean, if there was true healing for Thyroid Disease, Chronic Fatigue and/or Lupus, as an example, from the medical establishment, then great. But, from my own understanding, there is not. Medicine may alleviate symptoms but it does not truly heal and reverse most conditions. The MM explains that the EPV (Epstein Barr Virus) is the root cause of many of these conditions. I am sure there is much more for us to discover, but we know that there is a problem brewing in many of us, and shedding a new light of wisdom and a protocol that brings healing is what we need.

During my 2 months of Shingles trauma friends delivered tons of fresh veggies and fruits to me. One day there were three people in my kitchen washing and prepping everything so all I had to do was juice, cut and/or cook. What a dream that was. When people offered to bring food, I had a clear idea of what to ask for. There is more I will share in the future about getting help and some of the ways my tribe here has learned to help one another in a way that is easy and organized for all.

It has taken a bit of a learning curve in how to make nourishing myself “simple”, especially now that I am up and integrating into the world again. It was easy when others were doing the shopping and my only task each day was to prepare food for myself. I continually asked myself, “How do people do this who work. How will I do it?” I will be sharing my recipes and methods on my Blog as I journey along. I am already seeing how easy it is to get back into the stressful mode of short cuts and hurry, or sheer laziness.

To tie this up, I am going to make a strong recommendation to you, and that is to do everything you can to put fresh organic plants (fruits and veggies) into your body. If you are inclined, read the Medical Medium or listen to it on Audible - if only to get inspired as to the power of these foods, some of the myths we have come to believe, and how food can bring your body and soul back into balance. You will be inspired by the case studies and I guarantee your will drop some confusion, if you have any about your diet.

Lastly if you want to lose weight, I think the MM protocol might be the best way possible because it is not a fad, and you will not go hungry. I felt like all I did was eat, and I still lost weight. This diet is a lifetime practice for nourishment and well being. In my opinion it is in alignment with “Living As a Spiritual Practice” in that it is in alignment with what the Earth provides for us at her best. Do it!

Many of the traditional smoothie recipes don’t cut it for me (kale and bananas?), and I could never start the day with one, but that is just me. Since I love to “make every bite count”, I am always looking for ways to bump up the power of the ingredients or find ways to eat things I would not normally.

This brings me to cranberries - I want to eat them more than twice a year. Even though they are a powerful food, when they are raw they are so sour that they would often ruin my smoothie. Luckily, ever since reading Medical Medium (MM) by Anthony William, I learned the value of dates for a snack and/ or sweetening foods. I have always loved Medjool dates and they are not only a natural sweetener for my smoothies but they add a delicious creamy texture and flavoring.

I buy the the cranberries frozen and include them in my smoothie, and love the freedom of tossing in dates to sweeten my entire life!

Simple Delicious Cranberry Smoothie Recipe:

1 c water½ frozen banana ¼ c cherries¼ c blueberries¼ c cranberries2 datesSprig of fresh mint A pinch of saltLime is also very good in this smoothie. Be creative.

Whenever I have a little left over fruit, I throw it in the “leftover fruit” container in the freezer for future smoothies.

My journey began in mid May 2018. A friend was over for an early morning visit and after coffee on the deck we migrated toward the kitchen. Out of nowhere, I began to experience this feeling of what I call “going down”, I was dizzy, heart pounding and losing my ability to stay present. This had happened a few times in the past, but once I drank a large glass of water and ate something, I would always rebound and usually chalk it up to low blood sugar. I asked my friend to make me some food – and quick. I shoved it down, gulping like a person who just crossed the dessert with no water. Several minutes passed but I still could not gain my equilibrium. “Do you want me to take you to the ER?” my friend asked. “Yes” I said with no hesitation. Off we went. When we arrived at the ER I was still faint and going down. I was admitted instantly since everyone thought I was having a heart attack.

I was not.

After the usual frantic tests, the doctor came in and told me that they could not find anything wrong, but that he thought I should stay overnight in the cardiac until for further testing. They did not want to take any chances with this 72 year old. Now, this may sound silly, but I was shocked. “There is nothing wrong with me” I exclaimed. My friend looked at me and said “Seriously Susan?”

“OK..” I said, pouting….

I checked out the next morning with flying colors. I won’t bore you with the details of the night in my same clothes, no toothbrush, inedible food and tubes everywhere. This incident launched a whirlwind of doctor’s appointments as the mystery unfolded. Over the next six weeks there were four more visits to the ER sprinkled in between six weeks of tests (neurology, cat scans, blood, X-rays). The same symptoms continued here and there and I felt extremely fatigued in between. The ER was sick of me… and the confusion, decisions, and the attempt to get up and go, all swirled in my head.

My primary care doctor chalked it up to stress – saying I was having panic attacks. I thought that was ridiculous yet a part of me began to listen. Yes, with reflection, I realized that I had been under unusual stress during the last year. As I write this I see what an erroneous phrase “been under unusual stress” is. Now I realize that stress is something we create. Yes, things happen to us, and stress comes, but we always have some control of how we will handle it, meet it head on, deal with it, and/or avoid it. Now I know this, but only in hindsight.

On my birthday in July, I was surrounded by friends who helped me celebrate with a small dinner party while I was recovering from my mystery illness. During my birthday dinner I began to get these intense throbbing pains in my back. Every 30 seconds I received a blow that intensified throughout the day. I took aspirin, Ibuprofen and finally at 8 PM, not being able to tolerate the pain any longer, I found an old Vicodin I had stashed from long ago which worked with the help of a heating pad. The next morning I awoke to shingles. The real nightmare had begun. It started on my back to the left of my spine (where the initial pain was), and wrapped around under my arm and my left breast making its way to my sternum.

I write this post on October 8, 2018. I still have pain, and there is a trace of the shingles still reminding me to live in a new way, a way where stress can no longer take over my body, mind and soul. I have lost thirteen pounds, and I did not need to lose even one. It has been four and one half months since I first went to the ER. I am still not operating at full throttle, but building slowly over time. I hope to never be in a hurry again….haha. I am completely off any medications and feel hopeful for a full recovery.

Most all of us are going to get sick at some time, have a life experience and/or need a surgery that will take its toll on us. This being said, I will never be the same, and maybe this is a good thing! This is why I want to share with you what I learned and how I think it will help you avoid allowing stress to cause you breakdown, because, believe me if you let it, it will.

In the next few weeks I will be sharing my “learning points” with you. The points I will be covering are not what you might think. I am sharing my own discoveries that I wish I would have known before, and many I learned from others.

If you are running like I was - STOP, even if it is for five minutes. Listen to what your mind is saying to you. Just pay attention - close attention. That’s all you need to do to start. Listen to your mind and your body, and feel into your soul.

This is what I did first - even before the shingles invaded me. I began a regular meditation practice, one with no yoga, mantras, music or movement. I became still, still and more still. I would do this in the morning for fifteen minutes and in the afternoon for another 15. I paid close attention to my mental mantras. I began to see how much I said over and over again to myself, “Too much, just too much”.

Most of us know that meditating is considered a “spiritual practice” because it is a practice that quiets our mind and helps us connect to our source, our breath. I thought because I knew how to meditate that I was meditating. Somewhere, even in my yoga practice, I had stopped being still without any other distractions or entertainment. Being still is the start, not only to calm yourself, but also to get in touch with your destructive patterns and ultimately the reason you allow them.

As I continue to write more blog posts and share my story, I am going to introduce to you my new program called “Living As A Spiritual Practice.” I am going to dive deep into addictive patterns, of thinking and being, as well as food, diet and medications. My discovery about food and diet may surprise you and is most likely the reason for my drop in weight. If you are struggling with shingles or other viruses you may get some handy hints. My purpose and hope is that I can pave the way for your to untangle the stress writhing you.

I would love to hear from you. Please join me in the adventure and make some comments below. Oh, and there will be new recipes “all about simple” coming your way!

It seems that my life took this journey through food, health, addiction, and environmentalism for some reason, and now with a spiritual revolution taking place (so to speak), perhaps my story in Eating As A Spiritual Practice will awaken a part of the reader to see how they can combine their spiritual growth and intentions toward their own self care and the shape of a new future. My hope is that learning about Imi'ola will give you a place to plant your intentions.

To start with my favorite things, I want to start with the Gold metal of our mind and our brain. What we think, our beliefs and all the emotional turmoil we experience can often be changed by simply paying attention to our thoughts and what drives our actions - becoming more conscious. But, there is another part of our thinking and our mind that can be nourished and taken care of so we can keep on thinking, learning and communicating as we age. This comes with nourishing our brain in the same way we nourish our bodies. There is the physical brain and then there is our thinking. So often, we cannot steer our thinking more positively if we are suffering from an unhealthy brain.

Now that we are obtaining wisdom, let's not loose our smarts! Many of us make fun of and/or laugh at our new found forgetfulness in our aging mind. We will often hear comments such as, "I had a senior moment", or we laugh about not finding our keys - over and over. But, it is really no laughing matter because this forgetfulness can escalate. With the loss of adequate nutrition and oxygen to the brain, and the use of pharmaceuticals, Dementia is taking a lead in senior death rates.

Could it be that a pill will help? I wish. Our brain, just like our muscles, joints and organs needs valuable nutrition, no poisoning, and exercise (oxygen and challenging use). If we keep learning, (the reason for programs such as Luminosity), they say we can build more brains cells. Use it or loose it, as the saying goes. I have found this to be true for me. Because I still work, and was not raised in the tech age, I have had to struggle at times to keep myself current. I am grateful for this because the more I study, the smarter I get - or the less stupid I get. I have taken on learning new systems with this approach, which is a good thing, because at first I resisted it like crazy. Now, I say to myself, "I can learn this".

All this being said, I did notice that my brain was sinking a bit. My mind and brain used to work faster than most, and I had a memory like an elephant (where on Earth did that saying come from?). Anyway, I noticed I was having a hard time focusing and remembering. Maybe it was that I was just not interested, which was somewhat true at times, but I seriously noted a difference - a decline. Then a miracle came my way.

EHT, a pill. Yes, a tiny pill. The breakthrough technology of EHT has made a huge significance in my life. I have my smarts back, my quick thinking mind, and even my quick wit has returned, or so I think. Ha!

I took EHT for about 30 days, not really believing it would make that much difference. As a matter of fact, I was introduced to it a couple years ago, but poopooed it, thinking it was just a pill and it would not make that much difference. Then something happened a couple of months ago, that said, "Do this". And, I did, and I am so happy I did, because all of sudden I noticed how smart I was, how fast I was thinking and how much data I could hold. It was like a veil was lifted. Renewed inspiration was birthed. Our brains/minds are so important, and we can keep them healthy, but I think we need every bit of help we can get in this day and age. There is more info about EHT in the video below, but I must say more first.

Don't think for a moment that this little pill will take the place of good nutrition. We are learning a lot about brain heath now. Dr. Amen has been a pioneer in this search for keeping us smart. He even endorses EHT, but he also endorses excellent nutrition and staying away from the substances that dumb us down. I am going to speaking more on this in my next post.

If you want to know more, then schedule a consultation with me, email me or give me a call. I will turn you on to some specifics and then refer you to someone who knows more about the science. There is so much more to this supplement than I can tell you - improved sleep, energy, and mood. I won't be without it!

Susan Teton Campbell provides culinary instruction only. Her Chef Teton instruction and website is for informational purposes only. Clients are encouraged to confirm her nutritional information with other sources. Patients and consumers should review the information on her website carefully and with their professional health care provider. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by physicians. Susan Teton Campbell and the Chef Teton DVD series will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary, or other damages arising there from.

This DVD/book is for informational purposes only, and is educational in nature. Nothing stated in the DVD’s/ book are intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Neither the authors nor the producer/publishers shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestions in the DVD/book. This material is not intended to be a replacement for professional help from a qualified health care professional. If you are on medications or changing your diet for weight loss or other health related reasons, check with your medical professional before making changes.